Design

The first thing that surprised me about this keyboard is the fact that it is not a mechanical keyboard; it’s actually a membrane keyboard. Therefore, while the keys have a good, tactile feel to them as you type, you won’t hear that satisfying “click” that would you typically get with mechanical switches.

This makes the keyboard much quieter and would be well suited for the office if you want a keyboard with some LED bling but you don’t want to distract your coworkers. The keys have a bit of a “squishy” feel to them and may not be preference for all gamers.

CORSAIR K57 Gaming Keyboard with LEDs on

Features

Wireless USB: The included USB dongle utilizes Slipstream wireless to greatly reduce latency typically associated with wireless connections. There is a spot on the backside of the keyboard to store the dongle when it is not in use.

Bluetooth: If you’re using the keyboard for non-gaming purposes where latency is not a big deal, the keyboard also has built-in Bluetooth as a second wireless option.

LED Lighting: You can adjust between 10 different lighting patterns by holding down the FN key and pressing a number from 1 to 10 (or type 11 for no lighting). The speed can also be adjusted for many of the patterns by holding down the FN key and pressing the up and down arrows.

Spiral Rainbow
Rain
Rainbow Wave
Visor
Type Lighting
Type Lighting Ripple
Color Shift
Color Pulse
Color Wave
Static

iCue software: Corsair’s configuration software allows you to setup the 6 macro keys located on the left-side of the keyboard, as well as adjust the LED lighting. However, the software is not necessary to utilize the RGB lighting effects or to program macros directly on the keyboard.

Dedicated media buttons: There are buttons for muting, volume up and down, stop, play, skip and rewind. These keys work without the need to install the iCue software; in fact, they even work on my Mac computer.

Battery Life

When using wireless, you can achieve up to 175 hours of battery life when the lighting is turned off. At its brightest setting, battery life is reduced to a maximum of 8 hours. Keeping the lighting at its dimmest setting can net up to 35 hours of battery life.

The included Micro USB charging cable allows you to use the keyboard as a wired keyboard while it is charging.